China and Honduras have established diplomatic relations on Sundaya setback for Taiwan, which is losing yet another ally and denouncing thecoercion and intimidationfrom Beijing. Tegucigalpa had announced a few hours earlier the severing of its ties with Taipei, which is now only recognized by 13 States in the world. “China and Honduras have just established diplomatic relationstweeted Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry.
She accompanies her short message with a photo of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang shaking hands with his Honduran counterpart Enrique Reina, currently in Beijing.
China considers the island of Taiwan, with a population of 23 million, to be one of its provinces, which it has yet to manage to reunify with the rest of its territory since the end of the civil war. Chinese. Completed in 1949, the conflict pitted the Communists (who eventually took power in mainland China) against the Nationalist army (forced to retreat to the island).
In seven decades, the communist army has never been able to conquer the island, which has remained under the control of the Republic of China – which once ruled all of China and now only rules Taiwan.
“Financial incentives”
In the name of the principle ofOne ChinaBeijing does not allow foreign countries to maintain diplomatic relations with Taipei. However, the island has forged international partnerships through other channels.
In a press release from his ministry published on Saturday evening, Enrique Reina had indicated that “on instructionby the President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, hecommunicated to Taiwan the decision to sever diplomatic relations“. “The government of the Republic of Honduras recognizes the existence of one China in the world, and that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China.“, according to the same source.
“Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory“, Continued the ministry, adding that it was committed from Saturday to no longer have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan.
In response, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Sunday accused Honduras of “to deludeabout Chinese pledges of economic aid. “China has not stopped trying to lure Honduras with financial incentives“, he lamented at a press conference in Taipei.
“The severance of diplomatic relations between our country and Honduras is part of a series of coercion and intimidation by ChinaPresident Tsai Ing-wen’s office said in a statement. “China has been reducing (Taiwan)’s place on the international stage for a long time, unilaterally endangering regional peace and stability.»
The Chinese authorities have sought to diplomatically isolate Taiwan since 2016 and the election on the island of a president from a pro-independence party.
